Thai Princess Bajrakitiyabha Dies at 47, Leaving Succession Questions Open

Thailand’s royal palace announced overnight between Thursday and Friday that Princess Bajrakitiyabha, the eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, has died at age 47. She died at Chulalongkorn Hospital after remaining in a coma since December 2022, following a collapse about three and a half years ago while exercising with her dogs.

Doctors said the collapse was caused by a severe heart rhythm disorder brought on by a bacterial infection. The palace said that despite intensive, long-term treatment, her condition steadily worsened until her death.

Princess Bajrakitiyabha was widely regarded as one of the most accomplished and respected figures in the Thai royal family. She held two advanced law degrees from Cornell University in the United States and built a long diplomatic and legal career. She served as Thailand’s ambassador to Austria and worked as a UN goodwill ambassador promoting rule of law and criminal justice reform, with a focus on women’s rights and female prisoners. In 2021, she was promoted to general and appointed head of the king’s security unit.

Her death has deepened uncertainty over the royal succession. King Vajiralongkorn, 73, has not named an official heir. Many had seen the princess as the most suitable successor or as a possible regent for Prince Dipangkorn, whose ability to take on the role has previously been questioned. Although Thai tradition favors a male heir, the constitution allows a woman to ascend the throne. Her death leaves the monarchy’s future unclear in a country where strict lèse-majesté laws prevent open public discussion of the succession.